Certain things serve as a reminder that basketball is just a game, even for heavily invested superfans and even when talking about those whose primary occupation is professional basketball. Detroit Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank missed the Pistons' last game against the New York Knicks and will miss tonight's tilt versus the Dallas Mavericks. The reason he is absent is he is dealing with a personal family matter, apparently involving his ill wife.

Pistons coach Lawrence Frank is still away from the team with a personal matter, as his wife is back in New Jersey dealing with an illness. Assistant coach Brian Hill has run the team in recent days, and it's likely he'll coach again tonight against the Dallas Mavericks.